Battery handle connector



May 10, 1949. w. N. ALLYN BATTERY HANDLE CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 3, 1944 Patented May 10, 1949 BATTERY HANDLE CONNECTOR William N. Allyn, Skaneateles, N. Y., assignor to Welch Allyn, Inc., Auburn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 3, 1944, Serial No. 547,852

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to battery handle connectors for detachably connecting battery handles to diagnostic instruments, such as otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, endoscopes, tongue depressors, and the like. It is a Common practice to provide detachable battery handles for such instruments which, when connected to the instrument, serve as a convenient handle to manipulate the instrument, as well as providing a source of electrical energy for illuminating the field of examination or treatment when such illumination is desired.

The usual battery handle is equipped with a detachable connector or coupling member with which any number of such instruments above referred to may be interchangeably connected, thereby eliminating the necessity of providing a separate handle and/or a separate sour ce of electrical energy for each instrument. A typical type of battery handle connector is disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,516,133, granted November 18, 1924, That connector includes a springpressed sleeve or collar in association with the mechanical interlocking means on the connector member which is mounted on the battery handle, the purpose of which sleeve is to frictionally engage a complementary connector member on the instrument, when the sleeve is depressed by the latter connector member on coupling the connector members together, so that a substantial resistance is offered to displacement of the instrument relative to the handle, and thereby minimizing accidental or inadvertent disconnection of the detachable connector members.

Having in view the fact that the normal life of these instruments extends over many years, it has been found that after extensive use over a long period of years during which the battery handle has been repeatedly attached to and detached from various instruments, the normal resistance offered by the spring-pressed sleeve to relative displacement of the instrument and the battery handle may become materially reduced, under which condition the instrument is no longer rigid with the handle when connected thereto, and may even become accidentally detached therefrom in the course of manipulation of the instrument during use. The reduction in the resistance to displacement may be attributed either to a weakening of the spring acting on the depressible sleeve or collar aforesaid, or to wear of the connector members, or a combination of these factors.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved battery handle connector which is endowed with longer life without undue Wear or lessening of the rigidity of the connection between the instrument and the battery handle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a more simple and effective friction means forming part of the battery handle connector, which is a material imrovement over the depressible sleeve or collar formerly associated with such instruments, said friction means preferably having the form of a flexible, resilient disc which is frictionally engageable with and flexed by a complementary connector member on the instrument when the instrument is coupled to the battery handle, so that a substantial tension is set up in the connector members which will eiiectively prevent relative displacement thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved battery handle connector which insures rigidity of the instrument when coupled to the battery handle, and which admits of mounting of the body of the instrument relatively closer to the battery handle than was heretofore possible, with the advantage of facilitatadjustment of the instrument, particularly in the case of ophthalmoscopes and other instruments having adjustable parts, by the fingers of the operators hand in which the battery handle is grasped by the operator during use of the instrument.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of my improved battery handle connector, said connector being coupled with a conventional connecting member carried by a typical diagnostic instrument, which has been shown for purposes of illustration as having the form of an otoscope, portions of the otoscope and the battery handle being broken away;

Figure 2 is a composite view, partly in elevation and partly in section, with the battery handle connector disengaged from the connecting member on the instrument;

Figure 3 is a view generally similar to Figure 2,-with the battery handle connector coupled to the connecting member on the instrument and interlocked therewith, and said instrument and its connecting member being turned at right angles to Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 f 4 of Figure 2, showing the connecting member on the instrument in bottom plan;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the hue E3 of Figure 2, showing the battery handle connector in top plan; and

Figure '7 is a composite perspective view 01' the yieldable friction means and its associated support which form a part of the battery handle connector.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawing, wherein I enerally "designates a conventional battery handle havin'gthefo'rm of a cylindrical casing or housing adapted to contain one or more dry cells (not shown) which constitute a source of electrical energy. The battery handle is provided with a cap 2 at its upper end'on' which is rigidly mounted a connector member generally designated 3, which connector member is adapted to be detachablyconnectedwith a complementary connector member! carried by the instrument 5. The instrument'b, as illustrated in the drawing, has-the form of a conventional including ophthalmoscopes, anoscopes, tongu depressors, and the likej each having a-connector member co-rrespondingto the member designated 4 in the drawing, may be applied to the battery handle connector 3, which is so constructed that the difierent instruments are 'freely interchangeable for attachment to-acommon battery handle.

Passing now'toa spe'cific description of myimproved battery handlec'orinector; it will be seen that the same includes a tubular part or nipple i which passes through an opening 'in the cap 2 on the upper endof thebattery handle hand is threadedly engaged-atitslower end with a nut 3 located beneath thecap. Disposed within the nipple i and connectedin'circuitwith one pole of the dry cell in the battery handle I is a yieldable contact pin S which ter'm'inates"at its upper end adjacent'to'the upper end of the'connector member 3, for cooperationwith a'c'orresponding contact pin l8 carried by the connector member 4 on he instrument 5, and disposed centrally within an axially extended bore ll'in the'latter connector member. By engagement of these contact pins 9, ID on coupling the connector members 3, 4, together, a circuit is established through suitable conductors *(not shown), to one side of the electriclamp'whichis mounted in the lamp support 6 onthe instrument. The intensity of ti llumination may be varied by a. small rheostat (not shown) which is mounted beneath-the cap 2 on the battery handle, which rheostat is adapted to be controlled by a hand wheel or disc (2 rotatably mounted on the top 'of the cap 2. For a more full description of the details of the electrical circuit and the rheostat control mechanism, reference may be'had to my prior-patent lzereincefore referred to. V

Adjacent to the upper'endof'the nipple l, the nipple is provided with diametrically opposed radially outwardly extending lugs "l3, 13, which are received in an annular groove l4 formed in- It is to'be un- 'connector 3, to an extent of 90 more or less. "A mechanical -interlock is thereby produced between the connector member 4 and the battery handle connector "3, corresponding to the interlockdes'cribed in my prior patent previously referred to.

In-order to hold the instrument 5 rigidly when coupled with the battery handle I, and thus prevent accidental relative angular movements between the connector member 4 and the battery handle connector-"3' during use,I have provided anii'nprovedfonn of friction means in lieu-0t the former depressible sleeve or collar'previously employed for this purpose. As shown in the drawing,-itwi1l"be seen that this friction means includes a relatively resilient flexible disc l6 which may be constructed of-any-suitable'rnaterial which isnormally stiff but possessed of-spring-like characteristics, such as springsteel, bronze, or the like. The-disc'may be; stamped outofa-sheet metal blank and *may be either substantially flat in its normal condition, or slightly dished in a downward directionfasshown 'in Figure 2. The disc is seated in a recess I'l formed inthe upper side'ota collar!!! which is threadcdly mounted on the nipple'I-fbr axial adjustment thereon and provided at-lts upper end with a radially outwardly extended flange l9 in-which the recess l1 isformed. The bottom of the recess lT-is inclined downwardly and inwardly, as indicated zit-20, so that only-the outer marginal edgeof the disc [6 is -supportedby the sleeve l8, the inner marginal edgeab'out theopening 2| in the disc |6,-through which opening thenipple 1- extends,

' being free to flex and yield in an upward and downward direction as the coupling is made or disengaged between-the instrument 5--and the battery handle I. By adjusting the supporting sleeve [8 on the nipple 1 so that the disc I6 is engaged by the lower-' end 'of the connector membar 4 on the instruments), preliminary to en- 'gagement of the in'terlocklng means I 3,- H, the disc IE will be-depressed bythe continued movement-of-the connector member 4 onto the battery handle connector lin bringing the lugs l3 into interlocking engagementwith thegroove H, as clearly showniln' Figure 3. Thus, as'the coupling is interlocked, the disc I6 will exert asubstantial pressure upon'the lower endoi' the connector member 4 on the instrument 5, setting up a frictional resistance sufficient to normally prevent accidental angular movement of the instrument 5 relative to the battery handle .I, and normally holding the instrument in a rigidposition so that it-can be freely handled-by the user without disturbingt'he'connection between the instrument andthe battery handle. By adjusting the supporting sleeve l8 axially onthe nipple I, the degree of pressure or tension created between the batteryhandleconnector 3and'the complementary connector-member lon'the instrument can be varied as desired. This adjustment is particula'rly useful when employingthe battery nandle connector with an old instrument whose connector member 4 has been worn as a result of a long period of use.

In order to hold the sleeve I8 in its adjusted position on the nipple I, the sleeve is preferably provided with one or more axially extended lugs 22 which seat in complementary recesses 23 provided in the cap 2 on the battery handle, the whole assembly being rigidly attached to the cap 2 by the nut 8. By virtue of this construction just described, the length of the battery handle connector 3 may be reduced to a minimum, and substantially sortened as compared with my former battery handle connector employing the depressible collar. This reduction in length of the battery handle connector gives rise to the distinct advantage of bringing the body of the instrument 5 relatively close to the end of the battery handle, so that adjustable parts on the instrument, particularly in the case of ophthalmoscopes, and the like, can be conveniently manipulated by the fingers of the operators hand in which the battery handle I is grasped for the manipulation of the instrument after coupling the same with the battery handle.

In order to insure smooth operation of the rotatable hand wheel or disc 12, which serves to operate the usual rheostat incorporated in the battery handle I, and to prevent the disc 12 from being too tightly clamped against the cap 2 by the disc supporting sleeve I8, the lower side of the flange I9 on the sleeve is recessed at 24 to receive a resilient washer 25, which may be also stamped from sheet metal, such as spring steel, bronze, or the like. This washer 25 is initially dished in an outward. and downward direction so that its outer margin bears against the upper side of the rotatable disc 12 with a light yielding pressure as the washer is flattened out by drawing the battery handle connector assembly downward against the disc l2 through means of the nut 8. By the provision of this washer 25, all end play of the disc I2 is substantially eliminated, while leaving the disc free to turn smoothly about the connector assembly.

While the specific details have been herein shown and described, other changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A battery handle connector for detachably coupling a battery handle to diagnostic instruments and the like, comprising a connector member carried by the instrument, and a complementary connector member carried by the battery handle, said connector members being telescopically engageable one over the other and each including mechanical interlocking means mutually engageable pursuant to relative telescopic and angular movements of the connector members, a flexible resilient disc member mounted on one of the connector members and radially extending outwardly therefrom for yieldable abutting engagement with the other connector member upon coupling of the battery handle to the instrument, and means for supporting the disc member, said supporting means comprising a radially extended seat having a recess in which the disc member is received, said seat being axially adjustable on the connector member, and means for restraining said seat against movement relative to the battery handle when in adjusted position.

2. In a battery handle of the class described, a

cylindrical casing for containing a source of electrical energy, and a connector member rigidly mounted on one end of the casing, said connector member comprising a tubular nipple axially extended beyond the end of the casing and provided with at least one radially extended lug adjacent to the outer end thereof for mechanical interlocking engagement with a complementary connector member, an axially flexible resilient disc member loosely mounted on the nipple and disposed between the lug aforesaid and the end of the casing for abutting frictional engagement with the complementary connector member when the connector members are coupled together, a sleeve having a radially outwardly extended flange provided with an inwardly and downwardly beveled recess in the upper face thereof, said sleeve being axially adjustable on the nipple and supporting the disc member in the recess aforesaid, and an electrical controller member rotatably mounted on the end of the casing and extendin about the nipple between the casing and the disc supporting flange on the sleeve.

3. In a battery handle of the class described, a cylindrical casing for containing a source of electrical energy, and a connector member rigidly mounted on one end of the casing, said connector member comprising a tubular nipple axially extended beyond the end of the casing and provided with at least one radially extended lug adjacent to the outer end thereof for mechanical interlocking engagement with a complementary connector member, an axially flexible resilient disc member loosely mounted on the nipple and disposed between the lug aforesaid and the end of the casing for abutting frictional engagement with the complementary connector member when the connector members are coupled together, a sleeve having a radially outwardly extended flange provided with an inwardly and downwardly beveled recess in the upper face thereof, said sleeve being axially adjustable on the nipple and supporting the disc member in the recess aforesaid, an electrical controller member rotatably mounted on the end of the casing and extending about the nipple between the casing and the disc supporting flange of the sleeve, and a normally dished, resilient washer disposed between the rotatable controller member and the radially extended flange on the sleeve and engageable therewith.

WILLIAM N. ALLYN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 83,213 Sanders Oct. 20, 1868 199,312 Perkins Jan. 15, 1878 331,170 Thompson Nov. 24, 1885 582,022 Nixon May 4, 1897 1,043,721 Prince Nov. 5, 1912 1,087,532 De Zeng Feb. 17, 1914 1,145,586 Herold July 6, 1915 1,307,273 Salley June 17, 1919 1,516,133 Allyn Nov. 18, 1924 1,589,469 Homand June 22, 1926 1,621,461 De Zeng Mar. 15, 1927 1,638,986 De Zeng Aug. 16, 1927 1,945,005 Vacher Jan. 30, 1934 2,303,224 Olson Nov. 24, 1942 2,400,351 Hart May 14. 1946 

